Q: HOW DO YOUR PRICES COMPARE IF EAST VALLEY FIDUCIARY (EVFS) GETS INVOLVED IN MY EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE, VERSUS MY THREE (3) OUT OF STATE CHILDREN?A: Assumption: You live here alone in Arizona. Your doctor daughter lives in New Mexico. Your oldest contractor son lives in Minnesota. Your youngest US Postal employed son lives in Mississippi. Take into account airfare, possible hotel lodging, transportation, loss of hours on their jobs, not being familiar with your doctors, investment advisors, attorney, business partners, your friends, where to find your healthcare power of attorney, your list of healthcare directives, Medicare card, secondary medical care insurance coverage, list of medications, physician name and addresses, clergy, safety deposit box, pet care, protection of your home and private property during your health event, etc. By retaining EVFS we can do all of the above efficiently and effectively keeping your children and family in the communication loop while supplying you with what you need now at a fraction of the cost and time involved for them to build the infrastructure to get you the help that you need once they arrive in town.

Q: HOW DO I KEEP YOU INFORMED AND AT WHAT COST?A: We would recommend at least one time per year (recommended twice per year) to visit with our representative and update and review your circumstance. Are there changes that we should be aware? Has anything occurred that we should know? Have you arranged pre-paid funeral services or burial instructions? Are there medical, legal or other advisor issues that change your trust, custodial or estate business management? A low annual retainer that would fit most budgets.

Q: WHY SHOULD I USE EAST VALLEY INSTEAD OF MY OWN FAMILY WHO LIVE IN TOWN?A: This is perhaps the most often selected choice and for many it works well. However, most people with children have not developed the rapport or intimacy with their family to divulge personal or financial information to their children. Many children are not aware of sensitive trust or estate information that parents may wish to keep quiet for another time or for other reasons. Factor in that most families are busy with their own lives and their own children and seniors have grown accustomed to dealing with their own personal issues without wanting to worry or involve their extended family. Secondly, during healthcare challenges many seniors may find that they are vulnerable and are targets for intrusive behavior by children who might find an opportunity to invade the estate with unwarranted actions

Q: WHERE CAN EAST VALLEY FIDUCIARY SERVICE MY NEEDS?A: We are located in Arizona but have found that our business since our founding in 1998 has taken us literally across the United States in serving our clientele.

Q: HOW DO I GET MOM OR DAD TO STOP DRIVING, OR LIVING ALONE?A: Mobility or agency is perhaps the hardest thing to give up at any age. Remember, no parent likes to take orders from their child. To them this is unnatural and very uncomfortable. One option is when the fiduciary, who has been involved in other life discussions, gets involved early on, and then the parent usually realizes that the fiduciary is acting like a mentor or life coach. Thus, the decision becomes a collaboration among peers. In this scenario, authority is given, not taken. The child, supportive of the decision, is not formally involved and therefore not seen as a threat to the parent’s ability to choose. Patience and sensitivity plus reality and facts work with most seniors facing this issue. The private fiduciary takes the burden like these and other aging challenges off of the children.

Q: MY SISTER LIVES NEAR MOM AND IS STEALING MONEY FROM HER? WHAT CAN I DO?A: As a private fiduciary, East Valley Fiduciary Services, Inc. has been an ally to the vulnerable since inception. We often are called upon to be a protective service advocate. Furthermore, this potential challenge of trust among family members is part of the fiduciary function if we are asked to assess family conflict and then suggest a proposed resolution.

Q: CAN YOU GIVE ME A REASON(S) FOR NOT USING MY CHILDREN AS SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE?A: One answer is that we as a private fiduciary are independent of family jealousies or suspicions. Sometimes placing trust in one family member over another creates what we call the “target effect”.
This means that the person nominated becomes the target to any or all animosities pent up over the years as a family ages. We believe that an independent voice may make a clearer sound. Secondly, East Valley Fiduciary has an exceptional reputation, skilled staff and a developed and well maintained infrastructure to accomplish all aspects of settling complex estate issues. Thirdly, with our fee structure the heirs do not spend their own time and resources in an attempt to accomplish the same tasks that we have experience doing more efficiently. Fourthly, we provide a detailed accounting and histories of what is accomplished and by our design believe it is less likely to have family conflicts in terms of administration due to this transparency.

Q: I HAVE A BANK TRUST NAMED AS MY CORPORATE TRUSTEE. WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER USING EAST VALLEY FIDUCIARY SERVICES (EVFS)?A: Since our design is to not manage investments we can solely work with what we do know and that is the care and attention to the details affecting our clientele. We provide personalized service at a more reasonable price. We do not have minimum asset requirements like most trust departments.